Spurs’ Keldon Johnson reveals heartbreaking battle amid 6MOY season

Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Spurs’ Keldon Johnson reveals heartbreaking battle amid 6MOY season

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Allan Binoy, ClutchPoints | Last updated Apr 23, 2026 2:11 AM ET

Winning an NBA award is usually the pinnacle of a player’s career, but for San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, the latest trophy comes with a heavy heart. On Wednesday, the league officially named Johnson the 2025-26 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, making him the first Spur to win the honor since the legendary Manu Ginobili back in 2008.

While the accolades are pouring in, Johnson revealed that this season has been the most difficult stretch of his life. In a somber moment following the announcement, the 26-year-old opened up about his grandfather’s ongoing battle with cancer. The illness has kept his parents away from the sidelines for much of the year as they travel back and forth to support the family.

“This has been one of the toughest years of my life,” Johnson admitted. “My granddad has been fighting cancer, so my parents have been in and out. They haven’t really been here as much, and I’m really tight with my parents. Those are my best friends.”

Keldon Johnson had a somber, quiet tone speaking about winning Sixth Man of the Year. It turns out he’s been carrying more on his shoulders than anyone realized.

“I was telling my teammates this, and I’ll share a little bit with y’all, but this has been one of the toughest years… pic.twitter.com/sW48se4Eee

— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) April 23, 2026

On the court, you would never know Johnson was carrying such a burden. He served as the ultimate spark plug for a San Antonio Spurs squad that finished the regular season with a stellar 62-20 record. Johnson averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting a career-high 51.9% from the field. Most impressively, he appeared in all 82 games without making a single start, breaking Ginobili’s franchise record for total bench points with 1,081.

The news comes in the middle of a heated first-round playoff series. In Game 2 on Wednesday, the Portland Trail Blazers edged out the Spurs 106-103 to tie the series at 1-1. Johnson contributed seven points and four rebounds in 18 minutes of action.

Despite the playoff pressure and the personal heartache, Johnson continues to be the emotional heartbeat of the Spurs. If San Antonio hopes to make a deep run, they’ll need him to keep pushing through the noise.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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